The Niger Republic military dictators have freed the wife and son of the ousted President Mohammad Bazoum.
The military junta, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, removed Bazoum from power on July 26, 2023, through a coup.
The toppled President, alongside his wife, Khadija, and 22-year-old son, Salem, were detained under house arrest.
According to Aljazeera, Bazoum’s wife and son were released provisionally by the junta. However, the junta was silent on the fate of Bazoum.
It was reported that the Economic Community of West African States kicked against the military takeover in Niger and gave the junta an ultimatum to release Bazoum and reliquinsh power.
The ultimatum was ignored prompting ECOWAS, now led by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, to impose a range of sanctions, including the closure of borders to Niger.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who is the Chairperson of the Mediation and Security Council, hailed the release of Bazoum’s wife and son.
Tuggar, in a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, described the development as a logical step in bringing normalcy back to Niger Republic and the West African region in general.
He reiterated the call on the Tchiani-ked junta to hasten the release of Bazoum from custody.
The statement read: “Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has commended the release of former President Mohammad Bazoum’s wife and son from house arrest by the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the ruling military junta in Niger.
“Tuggar, who is also the Chairperson of the Mediation and Security Council, said it was a logical step in bringing normalcy back to the country and the region in general.
“He reiterated the call to the government led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani to hasten the release of Mohammed Bazoum from its custody and allow him to fly to a third country as a step towards further talks on lifting sanctions and to initiate the transition to constitutional rule in the interest of the people, peace and stability of Niger and the region.”
